Dr. Ann Hohenhaus recently received a prestigious 2014 DeBakey Journalism Award in the online category for her article “Dogs Go To Bat Against Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” Hohenhaus, an ACVIM board certified veterinary oncology and small animal internal medicine specialist, is a member of the Vetstreet.com Veterinary Advisory Board and is a frequent contributor to the site. She is also on staff at the Animal Medical Center where she specializes in treating cancer patients.

Hohenhaus’s awarding winning article is a comparative medicine look at amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in humans and canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs. The article was inspired by Hohenhaus’s attendance at the November 2013 Zoobiquity Conference in New York City, an event that seeks to highlight connections between human and animal health. In the article, Hohenhaus recounts the work of University of Missouri veterinary neurologist Dr. Joan Coates and how it has positioned dogs and canine research models to be key players in understanding more about both ALS and DM. Coates’ multi-institutional research is backed by funding from the National Institutes of Health and the ALS Association.

“Veterinarians play a crucial and ever-expanding role in demonstrating the interdependence of species; medically, environmentally, and emotionally. That the DeBakey Award has been given to a veterinary journalist highlighting the important work of a fellow veterinary practitioner and researcher is a tribute to the profession,” said Dr. Beth Thompson, medical director and publisher of Vetstreet.com and Healthy Pet magazine. “Vetstreet.com is honored to have such a distinguished contributor and advisor on our team and we congratulate Dr. Hohenhaus on her award,” Thompson added.

About the DeBakey Awards
Named in honor of the FBR’s late chairman Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, the awards recognize outstanding journalism that highlights the role of biomedical research. The FBR established the awards in 2002 to strengthen the bridge between the scientific community and the media.